Wednesday, September 26, 2012

In the Genes

Over the last few months, I have noticed a big change when lifting Clayton. HE IS GETTING BIGGER. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know this is happening over time, but this latest spurt of growth has happened very quickly. Prior to this summer, he had been on the same caloric intake for about three years. But given what we think were some low blood sugar episodes that randomly happened in the afternoons, I decided to increase that amount just a bit, hoping to help his body keep his glucose level regulated. And then, BAM! Here come the pounds!

You don't see it much in this photo, but he has put on plenty of weight around his middle (standard for chair-bound folks). And since we were at the doctor yesterday (for other things), I had them get a good weight and height so we would know exactly where he was on the growth chart. For starters, he has gained 11 pounds since this time last year. That's a big weight change for a little guy his size! For weight at his age, he is at the 35th percentile. For height at his age, he is at the .06th percentile. As in POINT O SIX--as in LESS THAN ONE. This means his weight for height is in the 93rd percentile! (He weighs more than 93% of other nine year olds his height). A little chunky to say the least!! I'm going to be seeing a nutritionist next week at one of his appointments and you can bet I'm going to be asking her how I need to adjust his diet. I realize that he is going to grow, but I need him to grow UP, not OUT! I hate to regulate his eating, but a person who is a total lift has to maintain some sense of healthy body weight/height ratio so that his lifters can actually keep lifting!

At any rate, 99.4% of all nine year old boys are taller than Clayton. Given his paternal gene pool, I don't think anyone is surprised. :)